Selective sales cabinet



I R. w. GEARHART.

SELECTIVE S-ALES CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, I922.

Patentefl Oct. 17, 1922,

2 SHEETSSHEET l NVENTOR. 7 FL I BY ATTORNEY WITNESS f/yflwarl 1&32385 R.W. GEARHART.

SELECTIVE SALES CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. 1922.

Patented Oct. 117 11922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ATTORNEY Patented (Dot. 1?, i922.

entree STATES RALPH W. G-EARCHART, 0F JOHNSTGWIN, PENNSYLVANIA SELECTIVESALES CABINET.

Application filed March 30, 1922. Serial No. 548,163.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH W. GEARHART, a citizen of the United States,and residin in the city of J ohnstown, in the county of Cambria andState of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered the new, useful, andImproved Selective Sales Cabinet, of which the following is aspecification. I

My invention consists in a new and 1mproved selective sales cabinet forpackage goods, and it is intended more especially for ice cream andother substances requiring refrigeration.

The present practice in retailing ice cream is to store the packages,containing various flavors or combinations of flavors, together in alidded metal can which is packed in a tub with broken ice and salt. Whena customer asks for a package of a certain character of ice cream, theclerk scrapes the refrigerant off the lid and removes the latter. Hethen reaches down into the can and removes the packages, one by one, andexamines their labels, until he happens upona package of the desiredcharacter. The other packages are then replaced in the can, its lid putback on, and the refrigerant scraped back over the lid.

Owing to the necessarily frequent removal of the lid, and the fact thatit remains off until the desired package is found and the other packagesare returned to the can, quantities of warm air are admitted'to the can,impairing the condition of the goods, while the handling of the packagesby the warm, moist hands of the clerk eventually reduces the contents ofthe packages to a partially melted, and consequently unsalablecondition, and the exterior of the packages become soiled andunattractive.

Where bulk ice cream is sold from a lidded can packed in a tub, the samewasteful and objectionable conditions prevail.

The object which I have in view is the provision of a practical. andconvenient selective sales cabinet wherein a package of the exactcharacter ordered bythe customer may be removed-from the cabinet withouthandling any of the other packages and without exposing them to theheated air.

For this purpose, I have devised a new and improved cabinet. comprisingan outer casing or tub, preferably having heat-insulated walls, andwithin which is 'rotatably mounted a container for the packaged goods,

said container being divided by vertical partitions into compartments toreceive the various kinds of goods. The container is closed at itsbottom and sides, and preferably rotates within an annular partitionvertically disposed within the casing, and which partition thus formswith the walls of the easing a space for storing refrigerant surroundingthe container. A cover fits tightly down over the top of the partitionto cover the container chamber, and the top of said partition issufliciently lower than the top of the casing that the refrigerant maybe piled up over clerks hand when inserted down through 7 said opening.

The outer casing is also provided with a top closure, and said closureis also provided with a lidded opening vertically alined with theopening in the cover of the container chamber, and the walls of theopening in said cover are preferably extended upwardly toward saidtop-closure to prevent refrigerant falling down into the containerchamber when access is had thereto. I also prefer to provide packing forthe joint between the upwardly extended walls of the opening in saidcover and the top closure, to prevent the entrance of, heated air intothe interior of the casing where the refrigerant is stored.

I prefer to make the container of annular form, providing a secondannular partition. within and concentric with the first named annularpartition, and which forms the axis upon which the container rotates. Insuch case the cover for the container chamber is of annular form,inclosing the annular container chamber formed between the twoconcentric partitions, and the space within the inner annular partitionis open at the top so that the refrigerant may also be, filled down inthe same, thus chilling the annular container from within. I prefer toperforate the walls of the container to increase the chilling effect ofthe refrigerant which, as is apparent,

com letely surrounds the same.

eans are provided for rotating the container from without the casing.Thus I have shown the container mounted on a circular, and preferablyanti-frictional, bearing in the bottom of the container chamber, andprovided with a concentric bevelled gear meshing with a bevelled pinionmounted on the inner endv of a shaft journaled in the wall of the casingand extending into the bottom of the container chamber. The outer end ofsaid shaft is provided with means for rotating the same. Thus, I haveshown said shaft provided with a sprocket wheel connected by a chainwith a second sprocket mounted on the casing near the top of the latterand rotated by .a hand.

crank, a suitable shield or cover being provided for the sprockets andchain. I also provide a novel form of indicating device operativelyconnected to the drive mechanism, whereby the clerk can tell when thecompartment from which he desires to remove a package,or into which hedesires to introduce a fresh supply of packages, has been turned intoregistration with the openings in the cover and top closure.

Other novel features of construction and arrangement of parts willappear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated a convenient formof selective sales cabinet embodying the principles of my presentinvention, Fig. 1 is a diametric, vertical section of the same Fig. 2 isa plan View with the top closure and container chamber. cover bothremoved to better show the construction; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail inside elevation showing the indicating mechanism, and Fig. 1 is anotherview ofthe same looking from the right in Fig. 3.

The following is a detailed description of the drawing.

'A represents the outer casing or tub which is preferably provided withheat-insulated walls. Thus, I have shown said casing comprised of twonested together metal cans, 1 and 2, spaced apart and provided with aninterlining 3 of cork or other insulation. The upper ends of said cansare spaced apart and held together by the interposed, wooden fillerring 1. The wall of the outer can is preferably slightly higher thanthat of the inner can, and the ring 4: is shouldered as shown at 5. B isthe top closure, likewise formed of spaced apart metal walls 6 and 7between which is the interlining of insulatmaterial 8. The perimeter ofsaid closure is defined by a wooden ring 9 which is shouldered to fitdown on the ring 4, and the top wall of the cover is turned down to forman annular flange 10 which fits over the top portion of the casing asshown. The top closure may also be provided with one or more woodencross struts 11 to furtherstiffen the same.

At one side of its center the closure B is provided with an accessopening 12 which is walled by the wooden ring 13, internally shouldered,as shown at 14, and into which fits the lid C.

Rotatably mounted within the casing A is the container D. This containeris preferably of annular form, and is preferably mounted in an annularcontainer chamber E formed between two concentric and spaced apartannular partitions F and G risin vertically from the bottom of thecasing, but of less height than the wall of the casing. The outerpartition F is spaced inwardly from the casing wall, thus forming aspace for refrigerant, preferably broken ice and salt, and the spacewithin the inner partition G is preferably used for a like purpose. 1

The walls of the container D are preferably perforated as at 15 for thebetter circulation of the cold air.

The container chamber is closed by means of a cover H which, where thechamber is of the annular form shown, fits down on the tops of the twoannular partitions. Said cover is provided with an access opening 16which is directly belowthe opening 12 in the top closure, and the wallsof said opening 16 are preferably extended upwardly, as at 17, towardand almost in contact with the top closure, thus preventing refrigerantpiled on top of the cover H from falling down into the container chamberwhen the opening 16 is unclosed. The opening 16 is closed by means of alid 1 having a perimetral, annular hook flange 18 which fits down overthe top of the upwardly extending opening wall 17. 19 is a diametrichandle for said lid. The walled opening 16 is of sufficient less sizethan the opening in the top closure to permit the lid I to be inserteddown into place conveniently.

To prevent warm air entering the interior of the casing around the topof the wall 17 when the lid G is off, I prefer to provide the topclosure B with a skirt gasket 20 of rub-. her or other compressiblematerial which will resiliently engage about the wall 17 plat leavespacefor the application of the The container is divided radially by thevertical partitions 21 into a plurality of compartments shown as six innumber, each intended for a particular character of goods. It is evidentthat by turning the container into position wherein any one of itscompartments is in registration with the access openings in the coverand top closure, said compartment may be loaded with a supply of goodsor a package may be removed from messes said compartment. To enable theclerk to conveniently reach a package when a compartment is almostemptied, I prefer to provide such compartments with a false floor 22 towhich is secured a vertically disposed rod 23 having a ring on its upperend. Thus 1 n filling the compartment, the false floor 1s first put inplace and the packages filled into the compartment. When the supply ofpackages becomes so reduced that the clerk cannot conveniently reachdown to grasp a package, the clerk simply grasps the ring on the top ofthe rod 23 and lifts thefalse floor 22 until the packages come withinhis easy reach. He then lowers the false floor, before replacing thelids. if V I prefer to perforate the walls of the container, as shown at15 to aid in the circulation of the cold air through the compartments.

I provide novel means for rotating the container from without thecasing. Thus 24 is an annular box or base in the bottom of the containerchamber, and upon which is secured the annular ball bearing raceway 25which coa-cts with the similar raceway 26 of the casting 27 secured tothe bottom of the container, the balls 28 being seated betweensaid-raceways. The casting 27 is also pro vided with an integral annularbevelled gear 29 which meshes with a bevelled pinion 30 mounted on theinner end of a shaft 31 which extends through the outer partition andthe casing A, and is journaled in a bushing 32 spanning the spacebetween the partition F and-the wall of the container A. The ends ofsaid bushing are provided with flanges formed to fit the walls and thesame may be bolted in place with interposed gaskets 32*, forming a tightjoint to prevent the escape of liquid or entrance of warm air along theshaft.

The outer end of the shaft 31 is provided with a sprocket wheel 33 whichis connected by means of the chain 34 with a second sprocket, wheel 35,preferably larger, which is rotatably mounted on a stud shaft36extending from the casing A. To strengthen 'the casing and bettersupport said shafts 31 and 36, I'prefer to provide between the outerwalls 1 and 2 of the casing A a vertically disposed wooden post 37extending to the bottom ofthe casing and attached at its upper end tothe wooden ring 4. The chain and sprockets are preferably covered by a.metal shield 38 attached to the casing at its top: and bottom, asshown. in Figs. 1 and 2. The outer hub of the sprocket 35 is squared toreceive the hand crank 39,

Within the shield 38 a smooth perimeter wheel 40 is rotatably mounted ona stud shaft 41 extending from the case, and said wheel has marked on.its perimeter a series of numbers consecutive from 1 corresponding tothe number of separate compartments of the container D, as shown in Fig.3. To permit the operator to observe the number displayed at the top ofthe wheel 40, the shield is apertured at the top, as at 42.

Integral with or'attached to the front face of the wheel 40 is a disk 43whose perimeter is protided with radial slots 44 and arcuate depressions45. Mounted on the inner hub of the sprocket 35 is a driving member 46provided on one side with an arcuate perimeter 47 of the same curvatureas that of the depressions 45 and adapted to mate therewith, and at itsopposite side with a pin 48 on which is mounted the roller 49 adapted toengage the radial slots 44. It is evident that the rotation of thedriving member 46 with the sprocket 35 will result in intermittentrotation of the indicating wheel 40, thus in turn bringing the numberson the perimeter of said wheel into the visible position under the sightaperture 42.

The parts are so assembled that when a compartment of the container hasbeen brought into registration with the access openings in the cover andtop closure, the number assigned to identify said compartment is broughtinto view at the aperture 42.

The outer annular partition F may be braced in any convenient manner.Thus 2- braces 50 may be interposed and welded in place, or the pairs ofspaced apart plates 51 may be secured to the partition F, and the angleplates 52 secured to the casing A, the plates interlacing and securedtogether by bolts 53 extending through registering holes in said plates.

At one side at the bottom the casing A is provided with a drain cock 54for the discharge of the water from the melting ice. To drain the waterfrom the refrigerant chamber inclosed by the annular partition Gr, holes55 may be provided in the bottom of the partitions F and G in thevertical walls of the box 24. The walls of said box should make a tightjoint with the partitions F and G, as by welding, to prevent the waterrising in the container chamber and reachin the goods in the container.

y thus firmly anchoring the partitions together, the inner partition Gis supported also by the outer partition F, which as has been explained,may be anchored at its top to the casing.

When the container is put into use, the cover H is put in place, andbroken ice and salt filled in between the partition F and the outer wallof the container A, within the axial chamber surrounded by the partitionG, and piled up over the top of the cover I-I nearly level with the topof the casing A. The top closure B is then put in place.

The lids C and 1am now removed, and the compartments of the container Dbrought in turn into registration with the access openings and thevarious characters of packages loaded into the proper compartments. Whenall of the packages have been thus stored in their proper compartments,the lids I and C are replaced and the cabinet is ready for service.

When a customer calls for a certain character of package, the clerk, whois informed as to the number of the compartment which contains thedesired character of packages, turns the crank handle until theindicating wheel 40 displays through the aperture 42 the number of saidcompartment, thus informing the clerk that he has caused the propercompartment to come into registration with the access openings. Theclerk then removes the lids and reaches down into the container andtakes out a package. He then immediately closes the lids. Thus he hashandled only the single package sold and has not exposed the remainingpackages to warm air. When the supply of packages becomes low in any oneof the compartments, the clerk raises the false bottom of thecompartment, when removing a package, thus elevating the packages intoeasy reach. When any of the compartments become depleted of their supplyof packages, the compartment is brought into registration with theaccess openings, the lids are removed, the compartment re- Llled and thelids replaced. WVater from the melting ice may be removed, as required,through the stop cook 54, and when the refrigerant requiresreplenishment, the top closure B is removed and additional ice and saltshovelled in, the vertical wall 17 preventing such refrigerant droppingdown into the container D or onto the lid 1.

It has been found in the use of my improved cabinet that the frozengoods may e kept almost indefinitely in perfect, salable condition; thatwhen sold the packages are fresh and attractive, and also that greateconomy in the amount of refrigerant reuired is effected, as the packagecontainer is surrounded on all sides and overthe top with therefrigerant, thus realizing the full value of the latter, and the supplyof refrigerant is not exposed to the warm air While sales are beingmade.

At J in Fig. 2 I have shown a freezer can, supposed to contain ice creamin bulk,

inserted down into one of the compartments of the container D. In suchcase it would of course be necessary to remove the top closure B and thecover I to.insert or remove the can J. The storing of the can for bulksales in this manner is of great advantage, as, when it is desired tomake a sale of bulk ice cream, the compartment in which the freezer canis stored would be rotated into registration with the access opening,the lids removed, and the ice cream scooped out of the can J. This is amuch more convenlent, sanitary and econfomical method of dispensing'bulkice cream than to have the can packed in an open tub as is now theaccepted practice.

My improved cabinet presents a neat and attractive appearance and thustends to encourage the sale of the goods. As shown, it is intended tosit on the floor, and for that reason the crank handle is near the topof the casing. In case it is intended to rest the cabinet on a table orother elevated support, the crank handle may be attached to the lowersprocket wheel or otherwise placed lower down on the casing than nowshown.

What I desire to claim is 1. A selective sales cabinet comprising anouter casing, a container rotatably mounted in said casing, saidcontainer being divided into a plurality of compartments by verticallydisposed partitions, means for'rotating said container from without saidcasing, a stationary cover for said container, said cover being providedwith an access opening into registration with which any one of saidcontainer compartments may be brought by rotating said container intoproper-pos1tion, a top closure for said casing spaced above said coverand provided with a lidded opening vertically alined with the opening insaid cover, and a closed passage connecting said openings.

2. A selective sales cabinet comprising an outer casing, a containerrotatably mounted in said casing, said container being divided into aplurality of compartments by vertically disposed partitions, means forrotating said container from without said casing, a stationary cover forsaid container, said cover being provided with an access opening intoregistration with which any one of said container compartments may bebrought by rotating said container into proper position, a top closurefor said casing spaced above said cover, said top closure being providedwith a lidded opening vertically alined with the opening in said cover,and the walls of the opening in said cover being extended upwardlytoward the opening in said top closure, and packing mounted on said topclosure and surrounding said upwardly extending walls.

3. A selective sales cabinet comprising an outer casing, an annularvertically disposed wall in said casing, the central space inclosed bysaid annular wall forming a cham her for refrigerants, an annularcontainer rotatably mounted in said casing with said annular wall as anaxis, said container being divided by radial partitions into a pluralityof compartments," a stationary cover for said container, said coverbeing provided with an access opening into registration with which anyone of the'compartments of said container may be brought by rotatingsaid container into the proper posiwith the opening in said cover, andan inclosed passage connecting said two openings.

4. A selective sales cabinet comprising an outer casing, an annularvertically disposed wall in said casing, the central space inclosed bysaid annular wall forming a chamber for refrigerants, an annularcontainerrotatably mounted in said casing with said annular Wall as anaxis, said container being divided by radial partitions into a pluralityof compartments, a stationary cover for said container, saidcover beingprovided with an access opening into registration vwith which any one ofthe compartments of saidcontainer may be brought by rotating saidcontainer into the proper position, and a top closure for said casingspaced above said. cover and provided with an access opening, the wallsof the opening in said cover being vertically extended toward theopening in said top closure for the purpose described.

5. A selective sales cabinet comprising an outer casing, an annularvertically disposed wall in said casing, the central space inclosed bysaid annular wall forming a chamher for refrigerants, an annularcontainer rotatably mountedin saipl casing with said annular wall as anaxis, said container being divided by radial partitions into a pluralityof compartments, a stationary cover for said container, said cover beingprovided with an access opening into registration with which any one ofthe compartments of said container may be brought by rotating saidcontainer into the proper position, a top closure for said casing spacedabove said cover and provided with an access opening, the walls of theopening in said cover being vertically extended toward the opening insaid top closure and a packing carried by said top closure andsurrounding said vertically extended walls for the purpose described.

6. A cabinet for the selective sale of frozen package oms comprising anouter casing, a vertica 1y disposed annular partition in said casing andof less height than the outer wall of said casing, said partitioninclosing a chamber, a cover adapted to fit down on said partitionto'close the top of said, chamber, whereby refrigerant may be filled inabout saidpartition and on top of said cover, said cover being providedwith a lidded opening for access to said chamber, a container rotatablymounted in said chamber, said container being vertically divided to forma plurality of storage compartments, and means for-rotating saidcontainer from without whereby any one of said compartments may bebrought into registration with said lidded opening.

7 A cabinet for the selective sale 'ofl frozen package goods comprisingan outer casing, a pair of concentric annular vertically disposedpartitions in said casing of less height than the outer wall of thelatter, whereby an annular chamber is formed between said partitions, acover adapted to fit down over said partitions to close the top of saidchamber, whereby refrigerant may be filled in around said walls and oversaid cover, said cover being provided with a lidded opening for accessto said chamber, a container rotatably mounted in said chamber, saidcontainer being vertically divided to form a plurality of storagecompartments, and means for rotating said container from without saidcompartment whereby any one of said compartments may be brought intoregistration with-said lidded opening.

8. A cabinet for the, selective sale of frozen package goods comprisingan outer casing, a chamber in said casing having its vertical walls ,ofless height than the walls of the outer casing, a cover for said chamberwhereby refrigerant may be piled up thereon, said cover being providedwith a lidded openin for access, a container rotat'ably mounted in saidchamber, said container being vertically divided to form a plurality ofstorage compartments, and means for rotating said container from withoutsaid casing whereby any one of said storage compartments may be causedto register with said lidded opening.

9. In a selective sales cabinet, the combination of an outer casing, anannular vertically disposed partition in said casing formof said caslngand connecting registering holes in the same, a shaft journaled in saidbushing, a pinion on the inner end of said shaft and meshing with saidgear, and means for applyin rotative power to the outer end of said shat.

10. In a selective sales cabinet, the combination of an outer casingprovided with an access opening, a container divided into a plurality ofcompartments and rotatably mounted in said casing so that by rotatingthe container any one of said compartments may be brought intoregistration with said access opening, means for rotating said containerfrom without said casing, a circular indicator having a series ofnumerals marked thereon corresponding to said compartments, and meansfor imparting intermittent rotary movement to said circular member fromsaid container rota-ting means whereby said indicator will indicate thecompartment registering with said access opening.

casing, af air of vertically disposed, concentric annu ar partitionsmounted in said cascontainer from without said casing.

12. A selective sales cabinet comprising a casing, a chamber in saidcasing, the walls and floor of said chamber being spaced from the wallsand floor of-said casing to provide space for refrigerants around andbeneath the casing, a rota container in said chamber, means for rotatingsaid container from without said casing, a cover for said container anda topclosure for said casing,

said cover and closure being provided with suitable means for access tosaid container. 13. A selective sales cabinet comprising a casing, achamber in said casing, the walls and floor of said chamber being spacedfrom the walls and floor of said casing to provide space for rerigerants around and beneath the casing, a rotary container insaidchamber, means for rotating said container from without said casing,a cover for said container and a top closure for said casing, said coverand closure being provided with suitable means for access to saidcontainer, and.

said top closure being spaced above said cover to rovide space forrefrigerants, whereby sald container is substantially completelysurrounded with refrigerant.

Signed at Johnstown, Pa, this 25 day of March, 1922.

RALPH W. 'GEARHART.

